


A tale of a Boy and His Sword

by Sapphicnihilist



Series: Arleon Drabbles [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Leon's Dad sucks, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Slow Build, Uther Pendragon's A+ Parenting (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26477299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphicnihilist/pseuds/Sapphicnihilist
Summary: In which Arthur is the boy, and Leon is his Sword.Or Leon is the Boy and Arthur is his Sword.Or they are both Boys and their wooden swords are their Swords....The metaphor kinda ran away from me, I'll admit.
Relationships: Eventual Leon/Arthur Pendragon, Leon & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Arleon Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924858
Comments: 12
Kudos: 19





	A tale of a Boy and His Sword

**Author's Note:**

> so a little arleon drabble to offset the angst of my other arleon thing, cause I needed the serotonin. I'm not completely sure I have a plot for this apart from ARLEON AS KIDS *brainrot* 
> 
> Right now they're kids so... no actual pairing cause ew. Just fluff.
> 
> (I didn't proofread this shit lmao, i'm just glad it was up to a 1000 words. no beta, we die like men.)

Getting older wasn't all it was cracked up to be, Leon thinks sullenly as he tosses a rock at the wall and attempts to catch it on it's rebound.

He'd thought it meant finally being able to tag along with Dad on his trips and maybe getting to know the man he called his father, but really it had meant an hour long ride (and Leon had never missed a Horse riding lesson but he was _ten_ and it was _bumpy_ and it _hurt_ ) to a place he had never been to, and previously had no wish to see.

All of that would have been okay if his dad had at least looked at him, but he hadn't except to complain about Leon's manipulation of his horse and tell him to be quiet when Leon tried to talk to him about all the things he missed about being at home.

It wasn't a really nice ride.

Getting to the castle hadn't been any better. His father had abandoned him outside the throne room to talk to the king about adult stuff. That had been hours ago.

Now he was hungry and alone and cold and-

He threw the rock a bit too hard and it shattered against the castle wall.

He wanted to go home!

At least back at home he'd been able to talk to the stablehands and the cooks and not be completely ignored. This was horrible. He shivered in his jacket.

"Who Are You?"

He turned towards the voice, still very unhappy about the recent turn of events, and came face-to-face with a blond boy around his age with a bit of an imperious air.

The boy's eyes widened and Leon was curious about why till he discovered he was both sniffling and had tears running down his face. He hadn't even noticed he had been crying. 

The realization he was and in front of a _stranger_ no less had him crying harder. 

It was just so embarassing!

He was ten and meant to be older now, but his father was going to leave the throne room and see him crying like a little baby and never bring him along again and Leon had hated this trip but it was the only time he had spent with his dad in _ages_ and he wanted-

A handkerchief was shoved under his nose. He stopped crying for a second to find the boy staring at him, eyes wide with shock and something that looked really close to guilt.

"I didn't mean to make you cry," he mumbled. "I just wanted to know who you were, seeing as we never get visitors."

Leon used the handkerchief to wipe his face. "You didn't. it's just... been a _really long day_ " That was something the cook had said once when she had gone off at Leon for taking some pastries. And it sounded suitably grown up enough.

The boy nodded like he understood exactly what Leon was talking about. "Are you hungry?"

He was very hungry. He had only had breakfast before setting off, and it was getting really dark outside. But Dad got really angry when he thought Leon was begging, and he was all set to politely decline, when his stomach made up his mind for him with a really loud grumble.

He went red, but the boy just nodded again and grabbed his hand. "Come on then! I know where the kitchen is."

Leon let himself be pulled along. The boy's hand was warm.

And that was where his dad found him a few minutes later, eating beside his new friend in the kitchen. His face had been thunderous and Leon braced himself for a scolding, but the king had also entered behind him.

He dropped his meal, standing up quickly and trying to scrape into a bow. He blushed, thinking of how he must look face sticky with syrup and crumbs all down his jacket but the king just laughed.

"Arthur! Who's your new friend."

The boy turned to him expectantly. "What's your name?" Then his brows furrowed and he looked almost guilty. "You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna. I don't want to make you cry again."

Leon blushed even harder as he muttered out a "Leon. My name's Leon."

Arthur (as that seemed to be his name) nodded and turned back to the king. "This is Leon."

"I heard." The king said, sounding a bit amused. "Nice to meet you Leon, I'm Uther and you have already met my son, Arthur."

Oh now he was really in for it, he couldn't believe he had cried in front of the king's son!

"The pleasure is all mine, sire." Leon replied, bowing again. He chanced a look at his father.

Instead of the glower he had been expecting, his dad looked almost _happy_ with the current play of events. 

He turned to the king, "About that thing we discussed?" 

Arthur glowered at being ignored, and Uther's eyes furrowed with a look almost like disgust.

Leon looked around, he was confused and a bit scared for his father, it seemed he had managed to make both Pendragon males angry.

But Uther just inclined his head. "Arthur does need company."

And his father _**grinned**._

"Come, we have much to discuss."

And they left both boys in the kitchen with the food. Although, Leon was no longer hungry.

He had an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of his stomach at whatever both men were discussing. He was quickly distracted by Arthur making up a game whose main objective appeared to be launching peas down the cook's apron.

His worry melted away in huge bursts of laughter.

It would turn out he was right to be worried, as two weeks would find Leon yet again on castle grounds, but this time with all his meagre possessions and his father 10 gold vaults richer.

But for now he's happy in the kitchen, content and warm with laughter and Arthur's smile.


End file.
